Control

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 presents a compelling mobile combination for playing Control, a 2019 Action Adventure title. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is consistently capable, though the balance between CPU and GPU workload shifts noticeably as pixel count increases. This analysis breaks down the performance data, interpreting what the numbers mean for the gaming experience without relying on external specifications.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable trend: performance degrades as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High settings preset, the average frame rate drops from 79 FPS at 1080p to 59 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 40 FPS at 4K. This represents a 49% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the rendering load scales heavily with pixel count. The step from 1080p to 1440p costs 20 FPS, while the step from 1440p to 4K costs another 19 FPS, showing a nearly linear decline in performance for this preset.

The scaling pattern is similar for other settings. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 124 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p and then to 64 at 4K. This is a 48% drop from 1080p to 4K, almost identical to the High preset's scaling. At Medium settings, the averages are 88 FPS at 1080p, 67 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K, a 49% reduction. Ultra settings show 68 FPS at 1080p, 52 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K, which is a 49% drop as well. The consistency of this scaling across all presets suggests that the limiting component is being taxed uniformly as resolution increases.

What does this consistency reveal about the bottleneck? The fact that performance drops by roughly half when moving from 1080p to 4K, regardless of whether the game is set to Low or Ultra, points strongly toward the GPU being the primary constraint. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance gap at higher resolutions, because the CPU workload remains relatively constant while the GPU takes on more pixel-shading work. Instead, the frame rate scales almost exactly with the pixel count, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

At 1080p, the system achieves 124 FPS on Low and 79 FPS on High, which indicates that even at the lowest resolution tested, the RTX 4060 is still the dominant factor. A CPU-bound situation would show a ceiling where frame rates plateau regardless of resolution, but no such plateau is visible here. The data supports a conclusion that this laptop combination is well-matched for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results, while playable at Medium and Low settings, show the GPU working at its limits.

The 4K numbers are particularly telling. At Ultra settings, the average FPS falls to 35, which is below the 40 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for a smooth experience. At High settings, 4K yields 40 FPS, which is borderline. Only by dropping to Medium (45 FPS) or Low (64 FPS) does 4K become consistently playable. This scaling behavior indicates that for 4K gaming, the user must make significant compromises in visual fidelity to maintain acceptable frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 16-core, 22-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark results show a strong multi-core performer, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14551 and a single-core score of 1759. The processor also achieves a Passmark multi-thread score of 25933 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3509. These numbers place the CPU in the 84th percentile against all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing mobile processor.

In the context of Control, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls, physics calculations, and game logic. The game's genre as an Action Adventure title often involves complex scenes with destructible environments and particle effects, which can stress the CPU. However, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p Low settings, the system hits 124 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would require a capable CPU to sustain, but the RTX 4060 is still the limiting factor.

The nearest rivals to the Core Ultra 7 165H, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H with a delta of 0.3%, the AMD EPYC 4244P with a delta of -0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 with a delta of -0.4%. These deltas are extremely small, indicating that the 165H's performance is in a tight cluster with these other processors. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, a desktop processor, is also within 0.5% of the 165H's average score. This suggests that the 165H provides desktop-class multi-threaded performance in a mobile form factor.

For Control specifically, the CPU's high single-thread performance, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1759, is likely more important than its multi-core might. Many game engines rely heavily on a few main threads, and a strong single-core showing ensures that the game logic and rendering commands are processed quickly. The 5.00 GHz boost clock provides ample headroom for such workloads. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache also helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing latency.

The data does not show any scenario where the CPU limits performance. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU has the least work to do, the frame rate does not exceed 124 FPS, which is a modest number for a high-end mobile CPU. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see frame rates in the 200+ range at such low settings. Instead, the GPU's rendering capacity caps the output. This indicates that the Core Ultra 7 165H is more than sufficient for Control, and its capabilities are not fully utilized in this pairing.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with a boost clock of 2460 MHz and a base clock of 1830 MHz. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. Its benchmark scores include a Passmark G3D score of 19545 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 95057, placing it in the 61st percentile against all GPUs.

The GPU's role in Control is to handle the heavy lifting of rendering the game's visuals, which include complex lighting, shadows, and particle effects. The measured FPS data shows that the RTX 4060 is the primary determinant of performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the GPU delivers 124 FPS on Low, 88 FPS on Medium, 79 FPS on High, and 68 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear scaling with settings, where each step up in quality costs a measurable amount of frame rate.

At 1440p, the GPU's workload increases, and the frame rates drop accordingly. Low settings yield 94 FPS, Medium 67 FPS, High 59 FPS, and Ultra 52 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant, with the High preset losing 20 FPS. This is consistent with the GPU being pushed harder as the pixel count increases. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Control at these resolutions, as the game's textures and effects do not appear to exceed this capacity, based on the stable frame rates.

The 4K results are where the GPU shows its limits. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is just 35, which is below the playable threshold for most gamers. High settings produce 40 FPS, and Medium produces 45 FPS. Only Low settings, at 64 FPS, provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The GPU's 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are simply not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K with high visual quality. The RTX 4060 is clearly a 1080p and 1440p GPU, with 4K reserved for lower presets.

The nearest rivals to the RTX 4060, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 with a delta of -0.2%, the AMD Radeon 780M with a delta of 0.3%, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 with a delta of 0.5%. These deltas are all within 1% of the RTX 4060's average score, which is surprising given the generational differences. However, these rival scores are from synthetic benchmarks, and the actual gaming performance in Control, as measured, shows the RTX 4060 delivering playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, which is what matters for this analysis.

The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is a key factor. While it is sufficient for Control at the tested settings, the data shows that the GPU is not VRAM-limited, as frame rates do not collapse at higher resolutions, which would be a sign of memory exhaustion. Instead, the GPU's compute and bandwidth limits are the binding constraints. The boost clock of 2460 MHz provides good performance, but the 128-bit memory bus and 8 GB capacity are modest for a modern GPU, which explains the sharp drop at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1738 out of 2888 tested combos for Control. This places the combo in the 60th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 60% of other configurations. This rank is a reflection of the GPU's mid-range status and the CPU's high-end mobile performance, but the overall score is dragged down by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions.

The rank of 1738 is a broad measure, but the specific FPS data provides a clearer picture. At 1080p, this combo delivers frame rates that are competitive with many desktop systems, especially at Medium and High settings. The 79 FPS at High settings is a solid result for a mobile platform. At 1440p, the combo still performs well, with 59 FPS at High settings, which is playable for most users. The 4K performance, however, is below average for a system with a dedicated GPU, as the 40 FPS at High settings is not ideal.

The combo's rank relative to other tested combos suggests that it is a balanced system, but not a top-tier one. The CPU is in the 84th percentile, while the GPU is in the 61st percentile. This imbalance means that the CPU has more headroom than the GPU, and the system's overall performance is capped by the RTX 4060. The rank of 1738 out of 2888 reflects this, as systems with higher-ranking GPUs would naturally score better in a GPU-intensive game like Control.

The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates with quality settings. At 4K, the system is playable only at Low settings, which is a significant compromise. The combo's rank in the 60th percentile is a fair assessment of its capabilities, as it sits comfortably in the middle of the pack, offering a good balance of CPU and GPU performance for a mobile gaming laptop, but without the raw power to push 4K Ultra settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the ideal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 79 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset, at 68 FPS, offers a marginal visual improvement but costs 11 FPS, which may not be worth it for most users. The Medium preset, at 88 FPS, is also a strong option if the user prefers higher frame rates over visual fidelity. Low settings at 124 FPS are unnecessary unless the user has a high-refresh-rate display and prioritizes maximum smoothness.

For 1440p gaming, the High preset at 59 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a good balance of quality and playability. The Medium preset, at 67 FPS, is a better option for those who want a smoother experience, while the Ultra preset at 52 FPS is still playable but with a noticeable dip. Low settings at 94 FPS are viable for competitive play, but the visual compromise is significant. The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot for this resolution, offering near-60 FPS performance with good visuals.

For 4K gaming, the recommendations are more constrained. The High preset at 40 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and may feel sluggish. The Medium preset at 45 FPS is slightly better but still not ideal. The Low preset at 64 FPS is the only setting that provides a comfortable frame rate, but it sacrifices much of the game's visual fidelity. Given the data, 4K gaming on this combo is only recommended at Low settings, and users who prioritize visuals should consider dropping to 1440p High instead.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1080p High settings, which delivers 79 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-quality experience without the need for compromises. For users with a 1440p display, the Medium preset at 67 FPS is a strong alternative, offering a good balance of quality and performance. The data does not support 4K Ultra as a viable option, as the 35 FPS average is too low for a satisfying experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured FPS data for Control with the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060. All values are average frame rates unless otherwise noted.

At 1920x1080 resolution, the system achieves its highest performance. Low settings produce an average of 124 FPS. Medium settings yield an average of 88 FPS, with a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS. High settings result in an average of 79 FPS. Ultra settings deliver an average of 68 FPS. These numbers show a clear progression, with each settings tier reducing the average FPS by roughly 10-20 FPS.

At 2560x1440 resolution, performance drops across the board. Low settings produce an average of 94 FPS. Medium settings yield an average of 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS. High settings result in an average of 59 FPS. Ultra settings deliver an average of 52 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, with an average loss of about 20-25% depending on the settings tier.

At 3840x2160 resolution, the GPU is heavily taxed. Low settings produce an average of 64 FPS. Medium settings yield an average of 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings result in an average of 40 FPS. Ultra settings deliver an average of 35 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings, as the Medium and High presets fall below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra is barely playable.

The data shows that the Medium settings tier is the only one with min/max FPS measurements, with 1080p Medium ranging from 75 to 102 FPS, 1440p Medium from 57 to 77 FPS, and 4K Medium from 38 to 52 FPS. This suggests that Medium settings provide a stable frame rate with limited variance, making it a reliable choice for users who want consistent performance. The Low, High, and Ultra presets have no min/max data, but their averages are consistent with the scaling expected from the GPU's capabilities.

In summary, the measured FPS breakdown shows a system that excels at 1080p, performs well at 1440p, and struggles at 4K. The best experience is at 1080p High with 79 FPS, while 1440p Medium at 67 FPS is a strong alternative. The 4K results are only playable at Low settings, and users should avoid Ultra presets at this resolution. The data confirms that this combo is a mid-range performer, well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming and capable of smooth 1440p play, but not designed for 4K Ultra.